Piracy on ships is an ongoing problem, costing lives as well as financial losses. Piracy tends to be concentrated in certain areas, with particular recent emphasis on the waters around Somalia. Numerous weapons are available which are intended to prevent pirates from boarding ships, for example, long range acoustic devices, anti-piracy lasers, water cannon, electric fences, nets, foam, hoses and so on. However, some of these devices are costly, or require supervision and in any event, pirates are still able to board ships, even those provided with armed security guards.
In the event of boarding by pirates, one response is for the crew, and any security guards if present, to retreat to a safe room (or “citadel”) and radio for (often military) assistance, in order to avoid being taken hostage by pirates. One object of the present invention is to provide an anti-piracy device capable of improving the chances of reaching a citadel once pirates have boarded a ship.
Crew members spend much time on ships, and often can spend relatively long periods of time operating and trading in dangerous waters and a relatively long time in safer waters. Therefore, in order to feel at home on the ship, it is preferable that it has the ambiance of a home or workplace, when possible, rather than that of a prison or barracks. Accordingly, another object of the present invention is to provide an anti-piracy device capable of being installed when entering dangerous waters, but removed and stored at other times.